Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has announced the immediate dissolution of the State Executive Council. The decision, made effective on Thursday, directs all commissioners and special advisers to promptly hand over their responsibilities to the permanent secretaries or the most senior officers within their respective ministries. Governor Fubara conveyed his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council for their dedicated service to the state and his administration, extending his best wishes for their future endeavors. The dissolution was officially disclosed in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onwuka Nzeshi.

This significant political development emerges days after President Bola Tinubu intervened to broker peace between Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly. The state had been embroiled in months of severe political tension, marked by impeachment threats and deep divisions within the parliament. A majority of the Rivers House of Assembly members are known allies of Nyesom Wike, who serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), highlighting the intricate power dynamics at play in the state's governance.

The dissolution is understood to be a strategic move amidst the ongoing political reconciliation efforts. Nyesom Wike had previously campaigned against Fubara’s re-election bid, accusing him of reneging on a peace deal they had signed before President Tinubu lifted an emergency rule in Rivers State. Previous peace terms proposed by Wike, as reported, included demands such as the reinstatement of Sergeant Awuse, a strong ally of Wike, as the chair of the state’s traditional rulers' council, a position from which Fubara had previously removed him. Wike also sought the appointment of new commissioners. The current dissolution is seen as potentially paving the way for the consideration of a new State Executive Council, which may include members loyal to the FCT Minister, aiming to resolve the protracted standoff between the executive and the legislature in Rivers State.